# US 12,006,031 B2 · Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,031 B2 - Document ID: US12006031B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/366,749 - Filed: 2021-07-02 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-21 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Kurt David Murrow; Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow; Darek Tomasz Zatorski; Dominic Barone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006031B2 ## CPC - B64C 29/0025: {the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage} - B64C 3/10: Shape of wings - B64C 3/32: specially adapted for mounting power plant - B64C 3/38: Adjustment of complete wings or parts thereof - B64D 27/31: within, or attached to, wings - B64D 27/33: Hybrid electric aircraft - B64D 27/357: using batteries - B64D 27/406: {Suspension arrangements specially adapted for supporting thrust loads, e.g. thrust links} - B64D 29/04: associated with fuselages - B64D 35/023: of series-parallel type - B64D 27/02: Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants - F05D 2220/76: an electrical generator - F05D 2270/093: of one engine in a multi-engine system - H02K 7/1823: {structurally associated with turbines or similar engines} - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An aircraft defines a vertical direction and includes a fuselage and a propulsion system comprising a power source and a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans driven by the power source. A wing extends from the fuselage. The plurality of vertical thrust electric fans are arranged along a length of the wing along a lengthwise direction of the wing. The wing comprises a diffusion assembly along the lengthwise direction of the wing and includes a first diffusion member positioned downstream of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. The first diffusion member defines a curved shape relative to a longitudinal direction of the aircraft. The longitudinal direction is generally perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the wing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft defining a vertical direction comprising: a fuselage; a propulsion system comprising a power source and a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans driven by the power source; and a wing extending from the fuselage, the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans arranged along a length of the wing along a lengthwise direction of the wing, the wing comprising a diffusion assembly positioned along the lengthwise direction of the wing and including a first diffusion member positioned downstream of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans and extending below at least two of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans arranged along a length of the wing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans defines a respective fan axis, and wherein the first diffusion member is offset from an axis of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The aircraft of claim 2, further comprising: a second diffusion member generally aligned with the axis of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the first diffusion member has a varied geometry from the second diffusion member in a longitudinal direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The aircraft of claim 3, further comprising: a third diffusion member positioned on an opposing side of the second diffusion member from the first diffusion member, wherein the third diffusion member has a varied geometry from the second diffusion member in a longitudinal direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aircraft of claim 5, further comprising: a fourth diffusion member configured as a forward diffusion member positioned at least partially forward of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans in the longitudinal direction; and a fifth diffusion member configured as an aft diffusion member positioned at least partially aft of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans in the longitudinal direction, wherein the fourth diffusion member and the fifth diffusion member have a generally common shape in the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The aircraft of claim 5, wherein the first diffusion member and the third diffusion member are separated from one another by a first distance at a first point along the wing in the lengthwise direction and a second distance at a second point along the wing in the lengthwise direction, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the first diffusion member is positioned aft of a second portion of the first diffusion member, the first portion of the first diffusion member positioned downstream of a first vertical thrust electric fan of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans and the second portion of the first diffusion member positioned offset from the first vertical thrust electric fan of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans in the lengthwise direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first diffusion member defines a curved shape relative to a longitudinal direction of the aircraft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal direction is generally perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the wing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3, 9) The aircraft of claim 9, The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the curved shape of the first diffusion member is convex relative to a fan axis of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. ### Claim 12 A method for operating a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage, a wing extending from the fuselage, and a propulsion system having a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans arranged along the wing, the method comprising: activating at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans arranged along the wing; and defusing an airflow from at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans through a diffusion assembly, the diffusion assembly including a first diffusion member defining a curved shape relative to a longitudinal direction of the aircraft and a second diffusion member generally aligned with an axis of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans, the first diffusion member having a varied geometry from the second diffusion member in the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans defines a respective fan axis, and wherein the first diffusion member is offset from an axis of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: moving a variable geometry assembly between a forward thrust position and a vertical thrust position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans are at least partially covered by the variable geometry assembly in the forward thrust position. ### Claim 16 A wing extending from a fuselage of an aircraft, the wing comprising: a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans arranged along a length of the wing along a lengthwise direction of the wing; and a diffusion assembly positioned along the lengthwise direction of the wing and including: a first diffusion member positioned downstream of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans; and a second diffusion member generally aligned with an axis of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans, the first diffusion member having a varied geometry from the second diffusion member in a longitudinal direction, wherein the longitudinal direction is generally perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the wing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The wing of claim 16, wherein the first diffusion member and a third diffusion member are separated from one another by a first distance at a first point along the wing in the lengthwise direction and a second distance at a second point along the wing in the lengthwise direction, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The wing of claim 16, wherein the first diffusion member and a third diffusion member have inversed geometries to one another relative to the second diffusion member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The wing of claim 16, wherein the first diffusion member defines a non-linear shape relative to a longitudinal direction of the aircraft.